Central Street Neighborhood Designated a Top 10 Great Neighborhood for 2013
EVANSTON,
IL – The American
Planning Association (APA) today announced the designation of Evanston’s Central
Street neighborhood as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2013 under the
organization’s Great Places in America program. In addition to having one of
the ten best neighborhoods in the country, Evanston is the only community
recognized in the Chicago Region. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional
character and highlight the role planning and planners play in adding value to
communities, including fostering economic growth and jobs.
“Central
Street is indeed a special place, not just to those who call it home, but to
all Evanstonians,” said Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl.“We are happy to receive this recognition and
to showcase the extraordinary neighborhood.”
To announce and celebrate this important
designation, Mayor Tisdahl and local elected officials are holding a press
conference at 3:00 p.m. today, Friday, October 4, 2013, at Independence Park,
Central Street at Stewart Avenue. The public is invited to attend the press
conference to celebrate this achievement alongside members of the Central
Street Neighbors Association and the Central Street Business Association. The
rain site is the north branch of the Evanston Public Library, 2026 Central Street.
APA
singled out this neighborhood for its amenities, active and involved citizens,
and long history of planning. While adjacent to Northwestern University, the
Central Street area is not a typical college neighborhood. Its eclectic mix of
businesses – in terms of size, ownership, and service provided – and the
neighborhood’s transportation options and special features make Central Street appealing
to residents and visitors alike.
“The
Central Street neighborhood is much greater than the sum of its parts,” said
APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. “By weaving together its many
assets – a lakeside locale, niche retail, college sports and active recreation
opportunities, and transit options – Central Street emerges as a colorful and
attractive hometown, college town and regional destination,” he said.
The
neighborhood mixes up a small-town pace and sensibility with engaged citizens
and an edgy urban vibe. First mapped in 1673 and platted in 1868, Central
Street terminates at the iconic 1873 Grosse Point Lighthouse on Lake Michigan’s
shore. Today the neighborhood’s business area along Central Street is a
foodie’s paradise given the spice and cooking-oil shops, bakeries, cafés and
delis found there.
Graced with mature trees and picturesque store fronts, the neighborhood
has been updated with bike lanes and traffic-calming features and is now
focused on transit-oriented redevelopment as recommended in Evanston’s 2007
master plan.
Long
served by public transportation, Central Street boasts both Metra commuter rail
and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) rapid transit stations. Noting the
neighborhood’s transportation assets, Evanston’s 2000 comprehensive plan encourages
transit-oriented development. The recently opened Central Station Apartments, a
LEED Silver mixed-use project, features 80 residential units, 11,000 sq. ft. of
retail, and a car-sharing parking space.
Several
earlier multi-story, mixed-use structures, built to the lot line and larger in
scale than surrounding commercial buildings, raised concern among residents
about the potential for overdevelopment and loss of the neighborhood’s “European
Village” charm. In 2005, the city responded by reducing building heights and
residential densities for mixed-use structures in certain districts. Both the
Central Street Neighbors Association and the Central Street Business
Association have been instrumental to planning in the neighborhood.
APA’s
Great Neighborhoods, Great Streets and Great Public Spaces feature unique and
authentic characteristics that have evolved from years of thoughtful and
deliberate planning by residents, community leaders and planners. The 2013
Great Places have many things Americans say are important to their “ideal
community” including locally owned businesses, transit, neighborhood parks, and
sidewalks. They illustrate how the foresight of planning fosters communities of
lasting value.
The
nine other APA 2013 Great Neighborhoods are: Chinatown, San Francisco, CA;
Downtown Norwich, CT; Downtown Decatur, Decatur, GA; Downtown Mason City, Mason
City, IA; Historic Licking Riverside Neighborhood, Covington, KY; Kenwood,
Minneapolis, MN; Beaufort Historic District, Beaufort, SC; West Freemason,
Norfolk, VA; and Williamson-Marquette Neighborhood, Madison, WI.
For
more information about these neighborhoods, as well as APA’s top 10 Great
Streets and top 10 Great Public Spaces for 2013 and previous years, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces.
For more about National Community Planning Month taking place throughout
October visit www.planning.org/ncpm.
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Media: High resolution images are available upon request.